Knockdown metal armed furniture



Dec. 2, 1952 c. P. MOLLA KNOCKDOWN METAL ARMED FURNITURE Filed Dec. 29 1950 INVENTOR CHARLES R MOLLH ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 2, 1952 ICE" KNOCKDOWN METAL ARMED FURNITURE Charles P. Molla, New Hyde Park, N. Y., assignor to Molla Incorporated, Westbury, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 29, 1950, Serial N 0. 203,327

6 Claims.

This invention relates to what is generally referred to as knockdown or collapsible furniture which facilitates carton packaging thereof for shipment and which can quickly and easily be set up in condition for use. More particularly, the invention consists in using, in the framework of the furniture, metallic tubing which is indented at irregular intervals and otherwise characterized to represent bamboo or rattan and preferably colored to simulate such type of furniture and, still more particularly, the invention deals in the provision of coupling brackets on the arm, seat and backrest portions with means for detachably coupling the same to facilitate collapsing of the parts into a relatively small package.

The novel features of the invention will be best vertically arranged tubular strips 23. spaced between the side members of the frame 22. The frame 22 has indentations 24, similar to the indentations I8. The bottom member 2'2 of the frame 22 has welded thereto adjacent and inwardly of the lower corners L-shaped brackets 25, note Fig. 3, the welding being indicated at 26,

understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an arm chair made according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing only part of the construction and with part broken away.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have shown, to illustrate one adaptation and use of my invention, a chair comprising a seat frame II, a backrest frame l2 and arms I3 and I4. The arms I3 and I4 are of the same general construction, except that they are lefts and rights.

The seat frame comprises a rectangular top member I5 composed of tubing, the bevelled ends being, welded together at the corners I6 in the manner well-known in the art. Joining the side members of the frame l5 are a plurality of spaced supporting straps I1 spaced between the front and rear members of the frame and preferably having resiliency to provide a yieldable supporting surface for cushions, which are usually em-: ployed upon chairs of this type and kind, the cushions being omitted, as they form no direct part of the present invention.

The frame I5, or the tubes constructing the frame, have, at irregular intervals, indentations I8, andin applying the coloring to the tubing, the indentation portions [8 are preferably darkened to produce a very close representation of the natural bamboo or rattan construction and these darkened portions are diagrammatically illustrated by the shading, as at I9. The rear member of the-frame I5, the member I5 shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing has, extending longitudinally of the inner surface thereof, a bracket strip welded to the member I5, as indicated at H.

The backrest I2 is also in the form of a rectangular frame 22 and includes a plurality of the lower members 25' of the brackets seating upon the strip 20 and are secured thereto by bolts 21.

It will, thus, be understood that, in the knockdown position of the parts, the bolts 21 are removed and the backrest I2 can then be arranged flatly upon the top of the seat frame IS.

The seat frame I5 includes four depending leg members 28 welded to the corner portions of the frame I5 and these leg members are reinforced by smaller diameter tubes '29 which reinforce and strengthen the seat frame as a whole.

As the armrests l3 and I4 are of the same general construction, the brief description of one will be applied to both and, in Fig. 2 of the drawing. I have shown the attachment of the rear portion of the armrest [4 with the backrest I2 or one part of the frame 22; whereas, in Fig. 4, I have shown the coupling of the armrest I3 with the seat It! or the frame I5. The rear end of the upper horizontal portion 30 of the arms have a bracket plate 3! welded thereto, the plate 3| having an aperture 32 for the reception of a screw or bolt 33. Fixed to the frame 22 is a self-anchoring fitting 34 having an inner threaded sleeve portion 35 adapted to be engaged by the bolt or screw 33, the fitting having weakened wall portions 36 which expand within the frame 22 in the manner disclosed in securing the fitting in position.

After fitting has been attached in the manner indicated, the bolt or screw 33 can be removed in detaching the arms from the backrest I2. as will be apparent. The arms I3 and I4 have indentations, as indicated at 31, and one of these indentations is shown in section in Fig. 2 of the drawing to clearly illustrate how the various indentations in the frame structure of the chair are produced.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing, I have indicated at 38 the upstanding portion of the armrest, the upper end of which is welded to the forward end of the horizontal portions 30 as with the other frame constructions disclosed.

Welded to the lower end of the vertical portions 38 are brackets 39, the inner ends of the brackets being curved upwardly and inwardly, as indicated at 40, in order to clear the frame I5 and the inner end of the brackets have flat portions 4|, which seat on the lower surface of one of the strips I1 and the brackets are secured to this strip by bolts 42, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. It will, thus, be apparent that, by removing the bolts 33 and 42, the armrests l3 and I4 can be detached and placed within the seat backrest frame frame in the compact packaging of the complete chair.

From a standpoint of description, the indentations in the various tubings of the seat, backrest and arm frames may be said to be crimpings which, when darkened in the manner set forth, represent the bamboo or rattan and, in referring to one of these types of products, it will be apparent that either type is included.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An article of furniture of the character described, comprising a seat frame, a backrest frame and an arm frame, all of said framesbeing formed from tubing crimped at irregular intervals, means comprising brackets on the seat frame and backrest frame for detachably coupling said frames, means comprising brackets at the ends of the arm frame for detachably coupling the same with the seat and backrest frame, said seat frame comprising depending tubular leg members at corner portions thereof, smaller diameter crimped tubular strips joining and bracing said leg members, the seat frame including a plurality of yieldable strips extending between said members of the seat frame and spaced between'end members of said frame, said including vertically arranged yielding strips joining top and bottom members of said frame at spaced intervals, the bracket at one end of the arm frame having an upwardly and inwardly extending end portion disposed inwardly of a side member of the seat frame, and the bracket at the other end of the arm frame being attached to the backrest frame by a bolt engaging a self-anchored nut in the side member 3. An article of furniture of the character described, comprising a seat frame, a backrest frame and an arm frame, all of said frames being formed fromtubing having inwardly extending annular crimpings at irregular intervals longitudinally thereof, 7 means comprising brackets fixed to adjacent tubings of the seat frame and backrest frame for detachably coupling said frames, means comprising brackets fixed to and projecting perpendicularly from the ends of the arm frames for detachably coupling the same with the seat and backrest frames, said seat frame comprising depending tubular leg-members at corner portions thereof, and smaller diameter crimped tubular strips joining and bracing all of said leg members adjacent said seat frame.

4. An article of furniture of the character described, comprising a seat frame, a backrest frame and an arm frame, all of said frames being formed from tubing having inwardly extending annular crimpings at irregular intervals longitudinally thereof, means comprising brackets fixed to adjacent tubings of the seat frame and backrest frame for detachably coupling said frames, "means comprisingbrackets fixed to and projecting perpendicularly-from the ends of the arm frames for detachably coupling the same with the seat and backrest frames, said seat frame comprising depending tubular leg members at corner portions thereof, smaller diameter crimped tubular strips joining and bracing all of said leg members adjacent said seat frame, and the seat frame comprising side and end members and including a plurality of yieldable strips fixed to and extending between side members of the seat frame and spaced between end members of said frame.

5. An article of furniture of the character described, comprising a seat frame, a backrest frame and an arm frame, all'of said frames being formed from tubing having inwardly extending annular crimpings at irregular intervals longitudinally thereof, means comprising brackets fixed to adjacent tubings of the seat frame and backrest frame for detachably coupling said frames, means comprising brackets fixed to and projecting perpendicularly from the ends of the arm frames for detachably coupling the same with the seat and backrest frames, said seat frame comprising depending tubular leg members at corner portions thereof, smaller diameter crimped tubular strips joining and bracing all of said leg members djacent said seat frame,- the seat frame comprising side and end members and including a plurality of yieldable strips fixed to and extending between side members of the seat frame and spaced between end -members of said frame, and said backrest frame including vertically arranged yielding strips fixed to and joining top and bottom membersof said frame at spaced intervals.

6. An article of furniture of the character described, comprising a rectangular seat frame, a rectangular backrest frame and an L-shaped frame, all of said frames being formedfrom tubing having inwardly extending annular narrow crimpings at irregular intervals, means comprising brackets fixed to adjacent tubings of the seat frame for detachably coupling said frames,

means comprising brackets fixed to and projecting perpendicularly from the ends of the arm frames for detachably coupling the same with the seat and backrest frames, the brackets attaching the backrest frame with the seat frame comprising an elongated strip '-on the inner surface of the rear member of the seat frame, and L-shaped bracket plates at end portions of. the lowermember of the backrest/frame.

CHARLES P.-MOLLA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 19,909 McArthur Man31, 1936 1,638,561 Busch et a1 Aug; 9, 1927 1,655,153 Martin Jan. 3, 1928 1,842,05 i .Sobel Jan. 19,-;1932 1,976,031 Lowenberg Cots-9, 1934 2,035,489 McArthur Mar. 31,1936 2,089,818 Terker Aug. 10, 1937 2,428,877 Holabird Got. 14, 1947 2,480,183 Dewey Aug; 30, 19 49 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country "Date 17,872 Australia Dec."12, 1929 774i614 France Sept..24,l'1934 

